Since Harper came to power seven years ago the police security budget for his safety and that of his family has gone up 129 %.

The total cost is $ 23 million after seven years in office. It includes protecting the Harper family and the official residences. This is a record for a Canadian Prime Minister. Not an enviable record.

It also includes $ 1,000,000 that Harper spent two years ago to flying his s private armored limousine to India for his official visit to the Indian sub-continent.

The President of India had generously offered Harper his own armored presidential limousine, but Harper figured the Indian President’s limousine was not safe enough for him.

Most of the $ 23 million Harper racked up is related to wages for his RCMP protective detail which always surrounds him whenever he leaves his residence or Parliament Hill. Nobody wants to see Harper get knocked off by a loonie.

Last year Harper appointed Bruno Saccomani, the former head of his RCMP protective detail, as Canada’s new ambassador to Jordan and Iraq.

The Saccomani appointment caused some distress in the Canadian diplomatic community, which would have preferred the appointment to such a strategic position to go to a diplomat instead of a police officer.